OGUTA-born maverick politician from Orlu in Imo State, Chief Arthur Nzeribe, has told his fellow Igbos that
before they sought the exalted position of president of the Nigerian federal republic, they must first put their house in order by speaking in unison.
“Until we start speaking with one voice, we cannot get the presidency. We should not try it now, we are not just ready for anything like that, we must first put our house in order,” said Nzeribe, who based his position on previous unsuccessful attempts by the Igbos to what he called endemic disarray amongst Igbo politicians.
Nzeribe spoke on Wednesday in an address he delivered titled, “We Must Not Allow Doomsday Prediction About Nigeria To Come True,” warning ahead of the 2015 elections that Nigerians must note that the country was bigger than anybody, irrespective of status. According to him, politicians must, therefore, put their selfish interest aside to save the country from chaos.
Speaking on the presidential primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Senator Nzeribe noted that those advocating that President Goodluck Jonathan must not go through the rigor of primaries to emerge as the Presidential candidate were only raising their personal opinion on the matter, stressing that he must present himself with others for the party’s presidential primaries.
“It is the personal opinion of those who said President Jonathan must not go through primary election, he must present himself for that, I can bet that President Goodluck Jonathan will win at the People Democratic Party, PDP, primaries,” said Nzeribe, drumming support for Jonathan.
Senator Nzeribe called on President Jonathan to help in the development of the Eastern part of the country as he had not really impacted on the people in the area of roads, adding that the people wanted good roads, Onitsha Bridge, among others. He said despite the lack of party manifesto in the PDP, the President was using his personal initiative to produce results.
Nzeribe described the declaration of state of emergency in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states by President Jonathan as “necessary and obviously the only reasonable option left to dissuade the doomsday prophets of Nigeria’s disintegration from having a field day”.
“What is needed now is for stakeholders in the Nigerian project to give maximum support to Mr. President in his effort at bringing to an end activities of the insurgents. The critical stakeholders in the affected areas should on their part, corporate maximally with the President to achieve the goal of emergency rule”.
“Although, the current emergency rule order is a sharp departure from the conventional one, but viewed from the position of inclusiveness in finding lasting solution to the vexed issue of insurgency, one can begin to appreciate President Jonathan’s brand of emergency rule”.
“In effect, what is obtainable in the affected areas right now is “Diarchy” which is a system of government whereby the Civilian and the Military share power. It was propounded by late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe. The beauty of the current emergency rule is that both the civilian and military authorities in the affected states are expected to corporate to find lasting solution to the problem.”